Fire-extinguisher.



J. B. THOMAS.

FIRE BXTINGUISHBR.

APPLICATION FILED 11110.23, 1911.

1,022,21 1 Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

JESSE B. THOMAS, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

Application led December 23, 1911. Serial No. 667,462.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Jnssn B. THOMAS, a citizen oit the United States,and resident ot' Boston, county of Suffolk, State ot' Massachusetts,have invented an In'iprovement in Fire-Extinguishers, of which thefollowing description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is aspecification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to chemical fire cxtinguishers wherein thechemical ingredients are contained in a cylindrical metal canisterprovided with a removable fluid-tight closure, and the invention has forits object the production oi novel and ctlicient means for connectingthe sealing member lor cover per manently with an annular cap adaptedfor threaded engagement with the neck of the canister.

The connection between the cover and the cap is so constructed that afree relative rotative movement of the parts is permitted as well as alimited relative axial movement, whereby when the cover is seated therequisite sealing cap is exerted thereupon by a continued, rotativemovement o1 the cap, the cover remaining at rest or nml-rotating.

Vhen the cap is turned backward to open the canister the pressure uponthe cover is first relieved and then as the cap is moved by continuedrotation the connection between it and the cover serves to lift thecover, without. rotation, from its scat on the canister. r1`hisarrangement obviates any rotative movement of the cover upon or againstthc usual packing ring or gasket, either when closing or opening thecanister, and if for any reason the cover should bind, as by corrosion,deterioration of the packing, or otherwise, requiring some :force toraise the cover, it is provided by the rising movement of the cap whenturned backward, acting' through the permanent connection with a directupward pull upon the cover.

The novel features of my invention will be fully described in thesubjoined specilieation and particularly pointed out in the following`claims.

Figure 1 is mainly a vertical diametral section of the upper portion ofa tire extinguisher embodying one form of my pres ent invention, thecover being shown in sealing position, and held in place by the cap, theupper end oi a cage for the acid bottle being shown suspended from thecover; Fig.

2 is a similar View ol another form of connection between the cap andcover, and the cage is shown as suspended from the cover in adi'tl'erent way; Fig. 3 is a detail in top plan Vview of a part of thecomiccting or covering member shown in Fig. 2; Fig. f1 is yet anotherform oil.E my invention, shown in diametral vertical section, to bedescribed hereinafter.

Referring to Fig. l the metallic canister l ot' usual construction hasat its open upper end an upright tubular .neck Q externallyscrow-threaded at 3, and forming at its upper end an annular lip 4. Acircular impcril.orate metal plate 5 constitutes a cover ilor thecanister, and as herein shown the under side ot the cover has an annularscat [3 tor a packing ring or gasket 7 of rubber or other suitablematerial, so located that when the cover is applied to the canister thelip l; and packing ring 7 will contact with each other. The verticalwall of the seat is undercut at 8 to assist in retaining the packingring in place. The cover has a central, hollow projection 9 at itsexterior and on the under side oi the cover is lormed a tubularexternally threaded base 10 which provides a convenient support ilor athreaded hub 11 at the upper end ot the depending cage 12 for the usualacid bottle. The base ol. the external projection 9 is cylindrical., at13, and above said base the said projection is screw-threaded at lllttor a purpose to be described.

A cylindrical cap 15 is .internally threaded to screw onto the neck Q ofthe canister and project beyond it around the edge of the cover, saidcap havinga circular rim 1G by means oi which it can be screwed on oroil the canister. The cap has as an integral part thereof a tlatinturned annular portion or top 17, the central opening 18 of whichloosely embraces the base 10 o'l the projection 9, said top overhangingand being adapted to engage directly the outer 'tace ot the cover 5adjacent its periphery and practically coextensive with the lip l, whenthe parts are assembled, to 'torce said cover downward, and therebyeffect the requisite sealing engagenlent between the packing ring 7 andthe lip 4t, thus closing` and sealing the canister hermetically. Theclosing pressure of the cap .is thus applied to the cover practicallydircctly above the lip Il, and co-extcnsive therewith, to prevent anybuckling or breaking strain upon the cover, as would be the case werethe sealing pressure applied to an unsupported part of the cover.

A coupling or connecting member shown as an internally threaded nut 19is screwed tightly onto the threaded part '14 of the projection 9 afterthe cap and cover are assembled, said nut preferably having a millededge 20 by which its application is facilitated. This connecting orcoupling member is screwed down to the top of the base 13, leaving aslight clearance between the adjacent faces of the said member and theannular portion 17 of the cap, whereby a limited relative axial movementof the cap and cover is permitted. The member 19 can be fixed in itssaid position by sweating, soldering, or by any other suitable means, sothat the cap and cover are permanently connected. W hen the parts arethus coupled or connected it is practically impo-ssible to disconnectthem without breaking either or both of said parts, yet they are freelyrotative relatively and they have a limited, relative movement axially.To close the canisM ter the cap is screwed onto the neck Q and the cover5 revolves with the cap until the lip l and packing ring 7 are broughtinto engagement, stopping rotation of the cover, and thereaftercontinued rotation of the cap causes the annular portion 17 thereof topress downward upon the external face of the cover, forcing the lip andpacking ring into sealing engagement. This obviates any rubbing orgrinding movement between the lip and the packing ring, as will beobvious.

Then it is desired to open the canister the cap is turned backward orunscrewed, it rising at the same time, and such axial movement bringsthe upper face of the annular portion 17 of the cap against the bottomof the coupling or connecting member 19, whereupon a continued rotationof the cap will lift the cover 5 and disengage the packing ring and lipby a direct pull exerted in axial direction.

Then the cover and cap are wholly detached from the canister they willremain permanently connected, as will be obvious, in readiness to beagain applied to the canister when desired. The amount of clearancebetween the member 19 and the adjacent portion 17 of the cap determinesthe extent of relative axial movement between the cap and the cover, aswill be manifest. By this permanent connection between said cap andcover the latter can be readily removed from the canister at any timewithout the use of tools or extraneous appliances, even should thepacking ring and the lip stick together, for backward rotation of thecap exerts a direct and powerful lifting action in an axial directionupon the cover by or through coperation of the cap and the connectingmember 19. 'Inasmuch as the acid bottle cage 12 is connected with anddepends from the cover 5, it will be withdrawn from the canister whenthe cover is lifted therefrom.

Referring to Fig. l the construction of the cap 15 is precisely thatshown in Fig. and hereinbefore described, but the cover G has instead ofthe hollow projection 9, a central cylindrical base 21 projecting fromits outer face and screw-threaded at its upper end, at 22, to receivethe connecting or coupling member 23, and this latter member may behexagonal for the application thereto of a suitable tool or wrench, orit may be made substantially like the coupling member 19, shown inFig. 1. The inturned annular portion or top 17 of the cap looselyembraces the smooth cylindrical base of the boss 21, the latter enteringthe opening 18 as before, and then the coupling member 23 is applied andset up, but leaving a clearance between the under face thereof and theouter face of the part 17 as before.

It will be apparent that in applying the cover 2 or removing it from thecanister the operation is precisely the same as hereinbefore describedof the structure shown in Fig. 1, the cover ceasing to rotate when thepacking ring and lip are brought into engagement as the cap is screweddown to force the packing ring and lip into sealing engagement, and whenthe cover is to be removed from the canister the axial lifting action orpull due to backing off of the cap is exerted upon the cover through thecooperation of the inturned annular portion 17 of the cap, and theconnecting member 23.

In Fig. 1, I have shown the neck 2 of the canister as provided with aseries of inturned lugs 24, to support an annular head 25 forming a partof the acid bottle cage 2G and the cover 5 is provided with an internal,Central and depending threaded base 27 upon which is screwed a tubularstopper guide Q8, the object of which is to control the movement of astopper for the acid bottle, and also to coperate with the bottle itselfwhen the extinguisher is in operation, substantially as shown in UnitedStates Patent No. 789,810, granted May 16, 1905, to A. J. Knight.

Referring now to Fig. 2 the imperforate cover 29, is recessed at itsunder side to leave a depending lip 30, internally threaded at 31, andprovided at its exterior with a lateral flange 32 having an upturnedannular rib 33, the lip 30 being shown as undercut below the flange 32as at 34 to retain the packing ring or gasket 35 in place in its seat.The seat for said packing ring is formed by the underface of the lateralflange 32 and the groove or undercut portion 34 in the lip 30. When thecover is applied to the canister 1, the packing ring 35 is seated uponthe lip f1 of the canister neck 2.

The annular cap 15 internally threaded to engage the thread 3 of thecanister neck is provided with a circular rim 16" as before, and in thisform of my invention the cap has an inturned annular portion 17X whichprojects over the rib 33 of the cover, and loosely embraces theperiphery of the cover, said annular portion 17X by bearing upon the rib33 forcing the packing ring and lip into sealing engagementl when thecap is screwed down onto the canister neck. The rib 33 presents arelatively small surface for engagement with the part 17X of the cap,thereby reducing the friction when the cap is turned to force the coverinto sealing position. The cover 29 has a central external projection orboss 36 which is externally screw threaded for a portion of its lengthto receive thereon the coupling member herein shown as a flat metallicdisk 37 having a preferably hexagonal hub 38 which screws onto the boss36. The hub and boss are shown in top plan view in Fig. 3, a portion ofthe disk 37 also being shown.

The 'ap is recessed annularly above the inturned annular portion 17X asat 39, to loosely embrace the periphery of the disk portion 37 of theconnecting member. Said connecting member is screwed down tightly ontothe base 36 of the cover into substantially the position shown in Fig.2, and is secured in such position by any suitable means, leaving aclearance between the connecting' member and the annular portion 17X ofthe cap, so that free rotative movement of the cap and cover relative toeach other is permitted and also a limited. relative axial movement ofsaid parts is permitted.

The operation of closing and opening the canister by means of thes'trlilcture shown in Fig. 2 is precisely as has been before describedfor the structure shown in Figs. 1 and 4l, and such operation need notbe repeated in detail.

In Fig. 2 the internal thread 31 of the cover' lip 30 is arranged toengage an externally threaded ring 40, forming the upper end of a.suitable acid bottle cage 41, which depends from and is sustained by thecover.

Various changes or modications in details of construction andarrangement may be made by those skilled in the artwithout departingfrom the spirit and scope of my invention as set forth in the claimshereunto annexed.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a lire-extinguisher, a canister having a tubular neck, animperforate cover, a cylindrical cap having threaded engagement with andprojecting beyond the neck around the edge of said cover and providedwith an inturned annular portion to directly engage the exterior of thecover adjacent its periphery and above the neck to force. the covertoward the neck into posit-ion to close the canister, a centralprojection on the outer face of the cover extended loosely through thesaid annular portion of the cap, and a connecting member fixedly mountedon said cover projection and extended laterally to overhang the annularcover-depressing portion of the cap, the cap and cover being freelyrotatable relatively to each other.

2. In a fire-extinguisher, a canister having an open tubular end, anilnperforate cover to close it, a cylindrical cap adapted forscrew-threaded engagement with and projecting beyond the open end of thecanister around the cover and having an integral, annular cover-seatingportion to engage the exterior of the cover adjacent the peripherythereof and force the cover into position to close the open end of thecanister, and a ring-like connecting member tixedly attached to thecover externally and centrally thereof and extended laterally tooverhang the cover-seating portion of the cap, leaving a clearancetherebetween, whereby said cap and cover are permanently connected whilefree rotative and limited axial movements of said parts are permitted.

3. In a tire-extinguisher, a canister having a. neck, an imperforatecover, a cap cooperating with the neck and extended beyond it around thecover and having an inturned, centrally open and integral topoverhanging and adapted to engage directly the outer face of the cover,adjacent its periphery and above the neck of the canister, to force thecover toward the neck into closing position to seal the canister, acentral projection on the cover extended loosely through the open top ofthe cap and threaded above said top, and a connectingmember tixedlymounted upon the threaded part of the cover projection and overhangingthe adjacel'lt part of the cap top, with a. clearance between, wherebysaid cap and cover are permanently connected while free relativerotative and limited relative axial movements of said parts arepermitted.

4l. In a lire-extingaishcr, a canister having a tubular neck, animperforate cover, having a lateral peripheral flange provided with anupturned annular rib, a packing ring interposed between the flange ofthe cover and the outer end of the neck, a cylindri #al cap coperatingwith and extending beyond the neck around the flange of the cover andhaving an inturned annular portion overhanging and adapted to engagedirectly and externally the annular rib on the cover and thereby forcesaid packing ring into sealing engagement with the end of the canisterneck, and a connecting member permanently connected with the covercentrally thereof adjacent lits outer face and In testimony whereof, lhave signed my projecting laterally over said annular porname to thisspeeieatlon, 1n the presence of tion of the cap, leaving a clearancetheretwo subscribing Witnesses.

between, whereby the cap and cover are Con- JESSE B. THUMAS. neetedpermanently While :tree relative rota- Vitnesses:

tive and limited relative axial movements of JOHN C. EDWARDS,

said parts are permitted. THOMAS J. DRUMMO'ND.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, ashington, D. C.

